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Special Needs

Developmental Disabilities and Oral Health

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Developmental Disabilities and Oral Health

by Alyssa Hill – Published on newmouth.com

How Can Disabilities Impact Oral Health?

Developmental disabilities can impact a person’s general and oral health standing. This is because certain disorders impair learning, physical, language, and behavioral capabilities. In addition, practicing good oral hygiene at home may be difficult, which can lead to serious oral health issues over time.

Dental Conditions Associated with Developmental Disabilities

Developmental disabilities are typically life-long conditions that make it more challenging to complete simple daily activities. For example, a person may not be able to bathe, dress, or feed themselves on their own. As a result, disabled people have a higher risk of developing health issues, which also includes oral infections.

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Guide to Life Insurance for Parents of Children with Disabilities

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Guide to Life Insurance for Parents of Children with Disabilities

written by Mary Van Keuren published on bankrate.com July 27, 2020

Caring for a child with special needs can be both a great joy and a challenge. You want your child to live to their full potential, in whatever form that takes, for their entire life. That may take additional resources, especially if you should die while they are still in need of care.

Securing your child’s future will take a great deal of planning, and much of that revolves around the need to ensure that your child has the financial resources they need, both now and as an adult. One part of that equation may include a life insurance policy — or policies — to provide for your child’s needs after you’re gone.

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Your Child Probably Has ADHD. Now What?

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Your Child Probably Has ADHD. Now What?

by Dr. Liz Matheis, published in www.attitudemag.com

Your child is in elementary school. For the last year or so, you’ve heard in parent-teacher conferences and occasional emails that your child is ‘fidgety.’ He has difficulty keeping his hands to himself. He gets up out of his seat often. This is happening consistently; no one is beating around the bush anymore: It’s time for an ADHD evaluation. But where do you go from here? With whom should you consult? Who can recognize the symptoms of ADHD in children and diagnose ADHD? And most importantly, how can you use a diagnosis to help your child?

 

 

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Stress, PTSD and Parents of Kids with Disabilities

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Stress, PTSD and Parents of Kids with Disabilities

by Dr. Liz Matheis – from PCWSN 2021: Volume 11, Issue 2 by Parenting Children With Special Needs

As a Psychologist, I am in the business of receiving phone calls from parents worried about their kids with disabilities. During that initial phone call, parents give me a quick run-down of their child’s symptoms, the struggles the family at large is facing, and the specific goals they would like to work towards. During that initial phone call, I’m often left thinking, “How are you, as the parent, doing?” Parents are often surprised when I ask that question during the intake. Several parents have responded with silence, a confused, “Fine,” or “No one has ever asked me how I’m doing.” As a parent of a child with disabilities, the process of gaining a diagnosis and then figuring out life and supports and medical conditions can be overwhelming and often traumatizing. In my experience, many parents of children with disabilities and other medical needs are experiencing symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

 

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Provider Spotlight: Kiana Davis – Tutor Kids n’ More

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Provider Spotlight: Kiana Davis

Kiana Davis is a K-6 certified teacher in New Jersey with over thirteen years of educational experience. Her business, Tutor Kids n’ More, offers individualized tutoring and instruction to grade school age children both virtually and in-person. Kiana also provides various childcare services including: babysitting, group babysitting and children’s party hosting. Tutor Kids n’More has been providing these services to families since September of 2017. Please check out Kiana’s website below!

Check out Tutor Kids n' More

Special Needs Planning Guide

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Children with Special Needs Planning Guide

Excerpt taken from: https://requestlegalhelp.com/children-with-special-needs-planning-guide/

According to the CDC, one in four Americans has a disability that causes disruptions in their everyday life. The CDC also reported that the percentage of individuals with disabilities increased as income decreased. Living below the poverty line doesn’t just increase your chance of becoming disabled, but can also make living with a disability much harder, as access to healthcare and assistance services and tools can be limited. This is why, if you are the parent or guardian of an individual with disabilities, it is important to have a legal and financial plan in place.

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Slow Processing Speed: What You Need to Know

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Slow Processing Speed: What You Need to Know

written by Kate Kelly, published on understood.org

When someone says something to you, how long does it take you to process the information and respond? You may have never even thought about it before. But that response time is the result of something called processing speed.

Everyone processes information at a different pace. Maybe you’ve seen your child standing silently for a few seconds before responding to someone, spending more time on homework than expected, or taking a long time to explain something. This could be related to processing speed.

Learn more about processing speed, and what happens when kids take a long time to process information.

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I Hate Virtual Learning!

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I Hate Virtual Learning!

Helping our children get through remote learning.

written by Dr. Liz Matheis/ published on Psychology Today, 3/1/2021

Never did I imagine that school would look like each of my three children sitting in front of a computer. Never did I imagine that teaching would take place via video, where the teacher is trying his or her best to re-create the classroom environment. Never did I imagine that a teacher would turn the camera to the board or share her screen as she attempted to present a lesson to students.

Virtual learning has been difficult for many of our children who need a multi-sensory learning environment in the presence of a teacher and other students. Never have I appreciated the physical school space where our children are able to enter into a building, walk through the halls, sit at a desk, and travel around the building to attend different subjects and classes.

Needless to say, it’s been a struggle for us, as parents, a struggle for our teachers, and a struggle for our children.

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"The various psycho-educational testing Dr. Liz conducted on our son gave us critical clues about where his learning strengths and weaknesses lie so that his needs could be better addressed at home and school. Moreover, because of their warm, kindhearted personalities, both Dr. Liz and her associate, Stephanie, formed an immediate bond with my son. He eagerly looks forward to his weekly therapy sessions. We are so lucky Dr. Liz came into our family's lives when she did! For stressed-out families trying to help their children as best they can, she is a calming voice of reason!"
- Julie C.
"Dr. Matheis has a remarkable ability to understand the unique needs of her patients and address them constructively. She builds strong, meaningful relationships with patients and their families, encouraging trust and collaboration. When working with my son who struggles with autism-related anxiety, she created an environment in which he was able to calm down and open up to her in ways I had not seen before. She was able to reach him and helped him work through his crisis/problem. Most importantly, she empowered him to move forward."
- N.L.
"Dr. Matheis is amazing. She has tremendous resources and loads of energy. She is not willing to accept anything less than the most effective results for her clients. She made me feel as if my son was her top priority throughout the entire process. I would, without reservation, give her my highest recommendations.  Thank you, Dr. Matheis!"
- Anonymous
"Dr. Matheis has an amazing ability to read kids and connect with them. She has been an invaluable resource for our family over the past several years and has helped us with everything from educational consulting, to uncovering diagnoses as well as family therapy. Working with Dr. Matheis never feels clinical and most importantly, our children love and trust her. We can not thank you enough Dr. Liz!"
- Anonymous
"My teenage son had been seeing Dr. Matheis through his senior year of high school, as he was only diagnosed with ADHD at 16 years old.  Dr. Matheis came highly recommended from our pediatrician and she has done wonders for our son as well as our family, navigating new ways for him to deal with his diagnosis without the use of medication.  She taught him ways to organize himself and even when something did not work for him, she patiently continued teaching him new ways to keep himself on track.  She has also helped us as parents to understand how his mind works so that we did not continue to blame his lack of focus on him, rather on his unique way of thinking.  Thank you Dr. Matheis!!!!"
- LG
"Dr. Liz is the best! Our family was directed to her by our Pediatrician to assist with figuring out severe mood changes, severe anxiety, strange new fears and food aversion that had come onto one of our children literally overnight. After just a couple of visits, she suggested that the issues may actually be rooted in a physical issue and suggested we immediately take our child to be swabbed for strep, because Dr. Liz suspected PANDAS (a pediatric autoimmune disorder brought on by strep). The same Pediatrician that suggested Dr. Liz would not do the swab (they do not believe in PANDAS and we no longer go there) but I took my child to my doctor who did the swab and it was positive for strep. When our child went on antibiotics, within 24 hours all symptoms went away and our child was back :-) Dr. Liz then recommended a PANDAS specialist who helped us and our child is in complete remission and is happy and healthy. We are incredibly grateful to Dr. Liz for her knowledge of all things, even the most remote and unusual and for helping us so much! Thank you!"
- Anonymous
"The various psycho-educational testing Dr. Liz conducted on our son gave us critical clues about where his learning strengths and weaknesses lie so that his needs could be better addressed at home and school. Moreover, because of their warm, kindhearted personalities, both Dr. Liz and her associate, Stephanie, formed an immediate bond with my son. He eagerly looks forward to his weekly therapy sessions. We are so lucky Dr. Liz came into our family's lives when she did! For stressed-out families trying to help their children as best they can, she is a calming voice of reason!"
- Anonymous
"Thank you, Dr. Liz. Although we have told you countless times, it will never feel enough. You have listened when J could barely speak and continued to listen when he was sad, angry and confused. You've challenged him and directed us in our roles as parents. You've helped J face his fears while the list evolved and changed, and yet you've stayed committed to 'the course.' We pray that your children realize that time away from them is spent helping children learn and that vulnerability is a sign of strength and bravery."
- June I
"My son was admitted to an Ivy League school when only 2 years ago, you assessed him and saw his struggles, his Dyslexia. We are grateful that he no longer has to carry that deep feeling of inadequacy or shame that must have kept him so self conscious and from reaching his potential. He has the PERFECT program for him. He has A's in high math and economics. He became a Merit Scholar, a Boys State legislature, the HEAD captain of the football team and help a job ALL while studying and managing his classes and disability. I am PROUD of you, a young doctor, who knows and sees the vulnerability of children and helps them recognize "it's NO big deal" God bless."
- Anonymous

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